8 Entrepreneurs Share the Best Business Advice They’ve Received

Every entrepreneur has tucked into their shirt pocket a nugget of advice that stuck with them for its impact or resonance. As a fun way to intro you to our stellar line-up of speakers for 2017 Kick Start Smart, we’ve collated the advice they carry around, reminding them to keep their heads up, and that their blood, sweat and tears have been well invested.

Matt JonesCo-founder and director of Four Pillars Gin“Every mistake hurts, and I take every mistake stupidly seriously, and then having learnt the lesson, I try to let it go. I’m just lucky that most of the big mistakes and failures in my career have led me to where I am today, which is a pretty fortunate place to be. There’s no point dwelling on them. You just need to learn the crap out of them.”

Stuart GregorCo-founder and director Four Pillars Gin“Invest your hard-earned money in the things you know more about than most other people.”

Andrianes PinantoanHead of growth at Canva“Don’t compare your behind-the-scenes to other people’s highlights. Highlights are all we see in articles. What we don’t see – because people don’t publicise it – are all the struggles behind the scenes.”

Jaye Edwards (pictured, top)Founder of Edwards and Co.“Success doesn’t come easy. I wish I knew of the sleepless nights, the stress, the fights, and everything in between that comes from building an expanding business. But you know what? It’s worth it!”

Victoria BeattieCo-founder and director of The Beach People“It’s going to be more amazing than you think, it’s going to take more out of you than you think, it’s going to be tougher than you think, and it’s going to be more magical than you think. Oh, the highs and lows of entrepreneurial life.”

Emma HendersonCo-founder and director of The Beach People“Live the life you want to live now… don’t wait or say ‘once this or that happens, I will be this kinda person’. Be the person and live the kinda life you want today.”

Hayden CoxFounder of Haydenshapes“Create something that is measurably better. In not just one way, but at least three. That’s advice given to me by Jim Jannard, creator of Oakley, when I interviewed him for my book, New Wave Vision.

“My first lesson in starting a business is that you should always be two steps ahead, not behind.

“I don’t think I really knew how much work, time, blood, sweat and tears would be required in making my brand what it is today, but I wouldn’t change anything. This year, it turns 20.”

Jodie FoxCo-founder of Shoes of Prey
“Do everything before you’re ready and fail fast – these are two mantras you’ll hear me repeat time and time again. The former is something that I’ve had to learn to do and has become my business mantra. The latter is advice I was given by one of my co-founders, Mike Knapp, when we were starting Shoes of Prey. I still find both statements invaluable to this day. They are examples of the mindset that has been so important to our success.”